When a wolf, or any wild animal, steps over the border of a national park they are immediately subjected to walking into a leg hold or snare trap; they are also subjected to being shot. Trophy hunters and trappers are waiting outside the border of Yellowstone and Denali National Parks for a unwary wolf to step over the border, to walk into the bite of a trap or the blast of a gun. The wolves are often lured out with electronic calling devices of pups in distress. Wolves love pups and will try to aid a pup in distress. The trophy hunters and trappers do not care if the wolf is collared (in a study), or not. So far this year, 10 collared wolves from Yellowstone have been killed. Last year a pregnant alpha female, along with another pack member, from the famous and celebrated Grant Creek Pack in Denali National Park was caught in a snare and leg hold trap just outside the park - baited with the scent of a dead horse. It is believed that the pack dispersed after that----their descendants had used the same den in Denali Park since 1947.

These examples prove the folly of wolves being such a problem that there has to be a hunt in the first place---as hunters and trappers are baiting and luring wolves who don't bother livestock---they live and are to be protected in a national park---the hunters and trappers are going to the wolves---the wolves are running free in the park and feeding themselves with the prey animals in the park. Morals aside, it is troubling that killing a wolf who merely steps outside of a national park is legal and "fair game"----nothing fair about this and that is why we must insist on a 10 mile deep buffer zone surrounding all national parks, where no traps can be set and no hunting is permitted. When Denali National Park had a buffer zone, the wolves were safe--as soon as it was removed (due to pressure from extreme trophy hunting groups), wolves began to die. Yellowstone National Park currently has no buffer zone and this is not acceptable! The hunters have shown us their true colors and now we must respond! Please sign and share this petition.